


Uncover

by wertdifferenz



Series: Songs of our hearts [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Getting Together, Getting to Know Each Other, M/M, with a tad of fantasy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-08
Updated: 2018-01-08
Packaged: 2019-03-01 22:31:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13304703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wertdifferenz/pseuds/wertdifferenz
Summary: In order to stay safe, he has to keep to himself. Picking up questionable strangers and bringing them home is out of question. So why does Lance find himself doing just that?He shouldn´t get close to him.People like him meant trouble.People like him meant death for people like Lance.For his own sake, Lance should just turn around, go away and forget he ever saw that guy.Lance took the guy to the shithole he called home.





	Uncover

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by [Zara Larsson – Uncover](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-PXEe-qeK4)
> 
> The series "Songs of our hearts" will contain multiple alone-standing stories inspired by songs.

_Let nobody see. Let nobody know. We are a secret. We can´t be exposed! If anyone ever knows, we will get hunted down, one by one, until nothing of us if left._

The words hounded Lance, even in his dreams. He would never forget them, never forget the meaning behind them, never forget the reason his abuela had told him and his siblings these words at least a thousand times when they were still kids. The words stuck in his head.

 

All beings like Lance knew these words.

All beings minus one. This one guy here, sitting on the snowy floor in a dark, empty alley, breathing heavy and passing out right before Lance reached him, didn´t seem to have ever heard of these words. 

The sight of three frightened guys running for their lives and the smell of burned wood told Lance everything he needed to know.

He shouldn´t get close to him.

People like him meant trouble.

People like him meant death for people like Lance.

For his own sake, Lance should just turn around, go away and forget he ever saw that guy.

 

Lance took the guy to the shithole he called home. The building looked worse from the outside. The graffiti on the colorless concrete walls, a broken lamp in the entry and the burned out mini-market at the corner drove the rent down, and since the lock on his door was still working, Lance didn´t bother to look for something else. The cheap rent meant he could spend his money on other things. 

The best part though? The people here minded their own business. Getting in trouble could result in death after all.

People like the guy on his sofa meant trouble.

What the hell was Lance thinking?

 

The guy´s name was Keith. A fake name, but Lance didn´t care. He didn´t tell anyone his real name either. He didn´t want to take the risk. 

It turned out that Keith was an orphan, didn´t remember his parents or any guardian that was like him. 

Maybe Keith didn´t know his real name.

 

No one had ever said those words to him, but Keith had learned the lesson behind them anyway. 

That he didn´t stick to it was another topic. 

After Keith had woken up, Lance had tended to his wounds. A broken rip, a sprained wrist, cuts and bruises on his whole upper body. The rip needed time to heal, the rest was quickly gone.

Keith watched him work with wide eyes. Lance easily repaired his broken body. His touch was soft and gentle. His mother had taught him how to touch, to attend, to care. Maybe that´s why Keith was sitting on his home right now? Because Lance had been taught to care. 

 

“How did you know?”

Lance stopped stirring for a moment to turn around. Keith was watching him, his posture not hostile, just a bit wary. Who could blame him? Everything around him was unfamiliar: the apartment, the smells… the fact that someone cared.

Lance shrugged. “It smelled like burned wood.”

“What?”

“It smelled like burned wood, but there was no wood, or ashes. Just you and those guys that looked like they had seen a demon.” 

“Oh.”

“Yeah.” 

Keith didn´t say anything for a while. Lance watched him from the corner of his eyes. He looked troubled. Doing what he did in public was an enormous taboo, even if there was no one who would punish him for breaking that rule. 

“Don´t worry, no one will believe them.”

“What?” Keith looked at him incredulous.

“No one will believe those guys. They probably know that themselves. I don´t know what you did, but since it smelled burned I suppose it was something with fire.” Lance stated matter-of-factly.

Keith nodded slowly but didn´t say anything. 

Lance took that as a cue to continue. “Just imagine ever telling someone. They would think you´re crazy until you prove them wrong. Those guys have no prove on their hands, so everyone they tell will just think they hit their head, or were on drugs, or something like that. They won´t believe them, so you don´t have to worry.”

Keith slumped a bit in his chair. He looked incredibly relieved. “Okay.”

“But you shouldn´t to this again.”

“Yeah, I know.”

 

He let Keith sleep on the couch, even if he hardly fit on there. Lance didn´t want to share his bed. Keith was still a stranger, even if he somehow wasn´t.

 

Keith was already up, observing one of Lance´s fifty-eight plants that were spread through all three rooms. It was in the middle of winter, and the apartment was chillier than the rest of the year, but Lance didn´t mind the cold and he made sure that his plants wouldn´t either. 

Keith shortly glanced at Lance, gave him a ‘good morning’ and proceeded to observe the lavender. 

He only stopped watching the plant after Lance put two cups with coffee on the small kitchen table. Coffee seemed to be more interesting than lavender. For now. Although his gaze drifted back to it more than one time while eating breakfast.

 

His gaze didn´t linger on the plant for too long. Instead he observed the rest of the apartment. There wasn´t much to see. One bedroom, one bathroom, one living room slash kitchen. Blue walls, blue carpet, blue curtains. Lance liked blue. 

The only other prominent color in his home was green. Fifty-eight plants meant a lot of green. Every shelf, windowsill, table and remaining surface held various kinds of herbs, flowers, miniature trees and other plant-like stuff. Lance didn´t even know the names of all plants. He didn´t need to know the names to keep them alive. 

The flowerpots were mostly blue. Two yellow ones, a green one and a pink one between them, and some clay pots as well. Lance liked the mix of the colors, he did the same with the pillows on his couch or the mugs hanging from nails on the wall. He liked opposites.

 

Since Lance had prepared coffee and food, Keith did the dishes. Without anything better do to, Lance took his watering can and filled it up in the bathroom. The kitchen was occupied after all. 

After Keith had finished, he sat back on the couch and watched Lance. 

“Is water the only thing you give your plants?”

“No.” Of course not. It was about 60 degrees in the living room. Lance had to give them a bit more than water.

“How often do you have to water them?”

“Every two days.” 

Keith stayed silent after that.

 

“Can I ask you some questions?”

“No.” It seemed like Keith didn´t like questions.

“You owe me a few answers though.”

He sighed, clearly annoyed. He knew Lance was right though. “Okay. Shoot.”

“Where do you live?” Lance asked tentative.

“I don´t have a place to live.”

“Then where do you sleep?”

“Here and there.”

“Where will you sleep tonight?”

“I don´t know.” Keith just shrugged. Lance didn´t like his carelessness.

“Do you have a job? I mean a legal one.”

Keith snorted, as if that was a funny question. “No, I´d need an address for that.”

Okay, it was a funny question to Keith. Lance started to worry. How did Keith even survive until now?

It took Lance some time to think of another question. “Have you ever met anyone like us?”

Keith frowned. “Yeah.”

Oh. Okay. No real need to elaborate that. Lance did anyway. “I assume they weren´t friendly?”

“No. You´re the first nice one I met.”

 

“Can I see you again?” Keith surprised Lance with that question. It was sheepish and hopeful likewise.

“Sure. Do you have a phone?”

“Yeah. Here.” Keith hold it up, so Lance took it and saved his number.

“Call me if you need a place to stay.”

“Okay. Thanks.”

 

***

 

The snow was gone the next time Keith landed on his couch. 

Lance had really hoped that he could at least get a call from him. Three months radio silence had hurt.

Keith didn´t wake up as Lance treated his wounds. A few bruises and cuts again, two sprained wrists this time, and a nasty scratch on his cheek. Lance made extra sure that the scratch wouldn´t leave a scar.

When he finally woke up, it was in the middle of the night. Lance didn´t notice at first, too occupied by the book in his hands. All lights were out besides a reading light at Keith´s feet. Lance sat near the lamp so he didn´t have to strain his eyes too much. He nearly jumped when Keith spoke up.

“I´m sorry.”

“You´re not.” Lance stated without looking up from the paper. He could see Keith wince from the corner of his eyes. Okay, maybe he was sorry. But that didn´t make everything magically alright again. “You should have called.”

Keith stayed silent for a while. Lance let him. He probably needed some time to think of a good answer. One that would at least satisfy Lance. “I didn´t want to trouble you.”

Wrong answer. “I remember telling you to trouble me.”

“You didn´t.”

Meep. Wrong again. “I did. I said ‘Call me if you need a place to stay’. That states to things: One, that you can call me. Two, that you can stay here again.” Lance looked up. Keith was staring back at him. Why did he look so sad when Lance had been the one waiting for him. Missing him. “You even asked if you could see me again.”

Keith looked away. “I know.” 

“What happened?”

“I don´t know.”

Lance sighed. He rubbed his eyes and stifled a yawn. It was too late for this. He was tired. “I´ll go to bed. Let´s talk tomorrow.”

“Okay.”

Lance went to his room but stopped at the door. “If I get up and you´re gone, I´ll hunt you down and put the bruises back on your body.”

“You can do that?” Keith didn´t sound frightened, just amazed. Lance had to stifle a laugh. No, he could not turn back time. He had simpler methods. 

“With a baseball bat, yeah.” 

 

It was already noon when Lance managed to roll out of his bed. He was a tad thankful that fate choose Fridays to dump Keith on his doorstep.

Oh, right. Keith.

Lance wasn´t sure if he should dare to make a bet with himself on whether Keith was still on his couch or long gone. He dared to bet on the last.

First time he was happy to lose a bet.

A few strands of black hair looked out from under the blanket on one side, one the other Lance could see his feet. Keith was draped over his couch like it belonged to him. It didn´t look comfortable.

The groan Lance received after waking the sleeping beauty up with some coffee confirmed that.

“If you come here more often the chances are high that I´ll find you something better to sleep on.”

Keith groaned again while stretching his back. “A bed would be nice.”

“The only bed in this apartment is occupied by me, and I´m not letting you in there as long as you don´t lose your ‘stranger-status’.”

“I´m not a stranger.” He dared to sound offended. 

“I saw you twice in the last three months. You are a stranger.”

“Okay, okay. You´re right.” Keith sat leaned back on the couch and blew some bubbled into his coffee. “How do I lose my ‘stranger-status’?”

Oh, that was simple. “By visiting more often.”

“I was afraid you´d say that.”

 

“Why did you never call?”

“I already answered that question.”

“Yeah, but I didn´t like the answer, so give me another one.” Lance watched Keith be stunned for a few moments before backing off. “I´ll give you some time to think while I make breakfast.”

 

“Why did you bring me to your home?”

Lance thought for a while. He hadn´t even been able to answer that question to himself. “I couldn´t just let you stay in that alley.”

“You could. Every normal person would have done that.” Keith stated bluntly. 

Lance snorted. “I case you haven´t noticed yet, neither of us is in any way normal.”

“Okay, let me rephrase that. Every sane person would have left me there.”

A sigh left his lips. “Call me insane for caring.”

 

***

 

Opposites attract. 

His mother had told him that one time. 

“Opposites attract. That´s why I love your father so much. He is my opposite. My other half.”

 

Opposites attract.

That was what his sister had told him one time.

“Opposites attract. That´s why she is perfect for me. We balance each other. We need each other.”

 

Opposites attract. 

His abuela had told him several times.

“Opposites attract. That´s why you don´t have to worry. Your opposite will come to you. Your opposite will love you, and you will love him.”

 

Opposites attract.

That´s what Lance was thinking right now.

Opposites attract. That´s why he couldn´t stop thinking about Keith, couldn´t stop caring about him. Even if he only showed up every week or so. Even if he always vanished after breakfast. 

Keith was his opposite. The fire to his water. The heat to his coldness.

Lance was attracted to his opposite.

 

It took a while for Lance to understand him, but eventually he got it. 

Keith was seclusive. 

Keith thought he was alone.

Keith didn´t know how to act around other people.

Keith didn´t trust easily.

Keith was impulsive. 

Keith didn´t like to depend on people.

Keith started to not mind depending on Lance.

Keith was still a mystery, but at least Lance knew what to expect.

Keith needed time. Time to become familiar with Lance. Time to work through his issues. Time to realize his feelings. 

 

It took a while for Keith to understand it, but eventually he got it.

Keith had found a home.

 

***

 

Some movie was playing in the background, but Lance payed it no mind. His eyes were occupied by another sight.

A rare sight.

Keith sitting on the couch. After breakfast. 

That´s right folks. Breakfast was over, and Keith was still there. His second cup of coffee in his hand, his blanket on his legs, leaned back against his pillow. 

Lance wasn´t sure if he was still dreaming. He pinched himself.

_Ouch._

Holy fuck. Not dreaming. 

 

***

 

“Isamu.”

Keith looked up from the lavender. “What?”

“Isamu. That´s my name.”

His eyes widened, his breath hitched. Lance was sure he could hear Keith´s heart stutter. He opened his mouth a few times, but nothing came out. After a while of staring and gaping, he at least managed to get out one word. “What?”

Lance shrugged. He tried to look calm. “You don´t have to tell me yours. I just want you to know mine.”

Lance was not calm. Even Keith must know. What he had done was a big deal. An enormous deal. 

A dangerous deal.

“Why?” He asked with a breathy voice. 

Lance smiled at him. Reassuring. Trusting. “So you can always find me.”

 

***

 

“I have to find a better place for you to sleep.”

Keith looked up from his magazine. He wasn´t reading anyway, home decoration was not really his thing. “Why?”

“Because you lost your ‘stranger-status’.”

Keith snorted. “Only now?”

“Yep.”

“What? Why? I thought I lost it weeks ago.” Keith sounding so exasperated was something new.

Lance used the moment to work him up. Just a bit more.

“What made you think that?”

“You literally told me your name. Your _name_! I´m not a stranger, I could be your-“ 

Oh? They were getting somewhere interesting. 

“My what?” Lance rose an eyebrow at him. He really wanted to hear the answer. 

“Your… cousin?” Wrong answer. 

“We don´t tell our cousins our names.” He explained, almost scolding. Even Keith should now that.

“Then… brother?” 

“Nope. Try again.”

“Uhm…” Keith obviously needed some time. Lance let him. He turned back to the frying pan. Only when the omelet was finished cooking he spoke up again.

“Lover?” 

Gosh, Lance could hardly fight his own blush at those words. That sounded way too good. He took two plates and got the food ready, using the time to get the blood rush in his face under control again. 

“I would have said family, but if you want to be my boyfriend that´s fine by me too.”

“Wha- I don´t- you-“ Keith´s face was dark red, and even without the visual proof the stuttering kind of gave his perplexity away. It was cute.

“You have to visit more often to get the ‘boyfriend-status’ though.” Lance stated, matter-of-factly. It was his way of giving Keith a bit of control back. Humor helped most of the time, objectiveness too. “You know, with the ‘boyfriend-status’ you can gain exclusive access to my bed.”

Keith groaned and hid his face between his hands. “Don´t talk about it like it´s some kind of business.” 

Yeah, objectiveness made most conversations sound like business-talk. Humor made them sound mocking. Lance meant neither. “I just want to make it more attractive to you.”

“Being your boyfriend or the access to your bed?”

“Both.”

Keith was quiet for a while. He pocked at his omelet a few times, trying to make it give him the answer or something. Lance used the pause to eat. He didn´t want to pressure Keith into talking right now. Luckily, he didn´t have to. 

“How often is more often?”

“Three times a week. At least.” Lance said without hesitation. Yes, he had thought about this before. No, he didn´t mind Keith knowing that.

“Only if you make me breakfast every time.” He murmured.

Lance snorted. “Deal. Anything else?”

Keith looked up, raising an eyebrow at him. “I want a plant.”

“Woa woa woa, don´t get too cocky now.” 

“What´s wrong with a plant?” He asked incredulously. 

“I can´t take care of another plant. Fifty-eight is my limit.”

Keith shrugged. “You just have to teach me how to take care of it.”

Oh, he would love to do that. Keith didn´t need to know his enthusiasm over that though.

“Okay, fine. You´ll get your plant. Anything else?”

“Don´t you want something too?”

Lance clicked his tongue and gave him a stern look. “Dude, don´t talk about it like it´s some kind of business.”

If looks could talk, Keith would have cussed him out right now. “I hate you.” He sounded a little annoyed. Lance couldn´t let that stand.

“You don´t. You want to get that plant after all.”

Keith gave him a sigh. He didn´t sound annoyed anymore. “Yeah, I do.” He sounded happy.

 

***

 

Keith kept his new status. He visited three times a week. At least. 

Lance kept his promise. Keith didn´t have to sleep on the couch anymore. He got breakfast every time he stayed. And he got his plant. 

Lance taught him to take care of it in his cold apartment. Keith was a natural, of course, but that only made the whole thing easier. 

Natural or not, he still had to water his plant every two days. Which meant he had to visit Lance every two days. Lance wasn´t sure if Keith had planned this.

The red flowerpot looked nice between his blue ones.

 

***

 

The red shirt in his closet hadn´t left the apartment in two weeks. Lance knew that. 

And he knew that Keith knew. 

And he knew that Keith knew that he knew.

Why? Maybe because he could use telepathy now. Or maybe because he had seen Keith take it off, fold it and put it back into the closet before leaving for work. Who knows?

What Lance did know though was that he did not only have a plant now, but a shirt too. Two things in his home that belonged to Keith. Two things in his home that ensured that Keith would have to come back. 

It made seeing him leave easier.

 

***

 

“Akira.”

“Hm?” Lance looked up from his lavender, his gaze fell on the shy smile of his boyfriend.

“That´s my name.”

Lance´s breath hitched, his eyes widened, and he could feel his heart stutter. It took him a few moments to comprehend what was happening right here. After a minute of silence between them, he managed to speak up again. “Why did you tell me?” His voice was shaky, nothing more than a breath.

Keith smiled at him. Trusting. “So you can always find me.” Lance didn´t need more reassurance.

 

***

 

A plant, a shirt, and a pair of sweatpants.

Oh, and a name.

They were getting somewhere.

 

***

 

Sharing a bed was one thing, sharing innocent touches another. Apparently. Lance couldn´t see why, but since the person he wanted to share innocent touches with was named Keith, he didn´t try to find an explanation.

Keith was new to relationships.

Cuddling was something he had to get used to. But hey, they had time.

 

“What are you doing?”

“I´m trying to cuddle with you.”

Keith looked at him disbelievingly. Lance shook his head disbelievingly.

“I want to cuddle with you.”

“Why?” 

Gosh, Keith. Seriously? Lance knew that his boyfriend could be dense sometimes, but he´d never expected this amount of thick-wittedness.

“Because it feels nice.”

“Huh?”

Lance rolled his eyes. He stuck to his plan though. Keith learned faster experiencing things, not getting them explained. 

Lance tried again, and since Keith was kind of prepared this time, he complied. Let himself get moved around on the couch until he was laying on Lance´s chest.

Keith relaxed in his arms. Cuddling became habitual after that.

 

***

 

Keith was already home when Lance got back. Watching his lavender again. Jeez, he had half of the closet and two plants already. What was with this guy and Lance´s lavender? It was time he got his own one. But before that he would get a different present.

Lance looked at the little packet before lifting his hand. “Here.”

Keith caught in without hesitation. He looked at the packet, at Lance, and at the packet again. He touched the content through the transparent wrapping. “What is that?”

“A keychain.”

He rolled his eyes at Lance. “I can see that. I mean what´s that for.”

“So you know which key is the one for my door.” 

Keith got up from the couch and went to Lance who was still standing in the entry. He took a single key from the little bowl on the shoe cabinet.

“Your key is the only one I own.”

Lance smirked. “I know.” It felt still good to hear him say it out loud. Not the fact that Keith only had one key. The fact that Keith had his key. And the underlying fact that Keith used it daily. 

Keith unpacked the keychain and attached his key on the little ring. He observed the dangler. A small red lion, matching the blue one on Lance´s keys. He put it back into the bowl and turned around. 

The hug didn´t surprise Lance. The strength behind it did. But he knew Keith´s way of talking. 

Lance returned the hug with the same strength, showing that he understood the meaning. Showing that he understood what Keith was feeling.

Gratitude. Trust. Reassurance. 

Love.

Lance felt the same.

**Author's Note:**

> I am so fucking proud of this work, you can´t imagine just how much!
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> Comments mean the world to me, so please tell me what you think about this fic.
> 
> And in case you were wondering, here is [ my tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/wertdifferenz).


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